Corpus Christi jumped out to an early lead, and Josh Miller made it
hold up with five innings of shutout relief as the Hooks took a 4-2
victory on Monday night at Drillers Stadium in Tulsa, Okla.

The victory was the first for the Hooks in eight tries against the
Drillers this season, the first since last Aug. 17, and only Corpus
Christi's third win in 12 games at Tulsa. With its fourth consecutive
win and fifth in the past six games, Corpus Christi (24-20 second half,
65-58 overall) pulled into a tie with San Antonio for first place in
the Texas League South Division's second-half standings after the
Missions' 7-0 loss to Wichita.

In dropping the first seven meetings against the Drillers, the
Hooks' statistics bordered on gruesome. They were outscored 50-16 in
the seven games, committed 14 errors that helped lead to 19 unearned
runs and hit or ran into 15 double plays.

However, Corpus Christi hardly resembled that team in shedding its
Tulsa albatross. The Hooks grabbed a 2-0 lead before the Drillers had a
chance to bat in the first inning. After a one-out single by Jonny Ash
and a walk to Hunter Pence, Walter Young plated both runners with a
double to the wall in right-center field. That extended Young's hitting
streak to 15 games.

Tulsa got a run back off Hooks starter Carlos Hernandez in the
second inning on a Matt Miller sacrifice fly. The Drillers then put
runners on first and third with two outs, but Hernandez got out of the
jam by striking out Troy Tulowitzki to end the threat.

The Hooks then added to their lead in the third, when Jorge Cortes
laced a single to right field to bring in Pence, who had singled with
two outs and went to third on a single by Young.

Corpus Christi then made it 4-1 in the sixth. Drillers starter Juan
Morillo departed after walking Hooks reliever Josh Miller to load the
bases with two outs and Jentry Beckstead then issued a free pass to
Josh Anderson to bring in Corpus Christi's fourth run.

Hernandez, working on a limited pitch count, left after the third
inning and Josh Miller followed him with five innings of splendid
relief. Miller surrendered only one hit and one walk while striking out
five. He retired the final 10 hitters he faced.

Closer Paul Estrada surrendered a solo homer to Ian Stewart in the
ninth, but struck out the side for his 13th save.

Ash was ejected during the sixth inning after he struck out looking
and without speaking to home plate umpire Jeff Macias, drew a line in
the sand with his bat.